IDENTIFICATION AND ISOLATION OF A GENE REQUIRED FOR NITRATE ASSIMILATION AND ANAEROBIC GROWTH OF BACILLUS-SUBTILIS

The Bacillus subtilis narA locus was shown to include narQ and narA. T he putative product of narQ is similar to FdhD, which is required for formate dehydrogenase activity in Escherichia coli. NarA showed homolo g to MoaA, a protein involved in biosynthesis of the molybdenum cofact or for nitrate reductase and formate dehydrogenase. Analysis of mutant s showed that narA but not narQ is required for both nitrate assimilat ion and respiration.